Facial Recognition Technology Could Make Boarding A Plane Much Easier

The line to board a plane can be excruciating. In front of you, you have the absent minded people rummaging around in their bags and pockets for their ticket, and behind you have the impatient masses, desperately trying to get on the plane as quickly as possible to shove their oversized hand luggage into your overhead compartment.

JetBlue is looking into a way to limit those frustrations, and is testing the use of facial recognition technology to make the boarding process paperless and eliminate the need for devices. All you would need to do is step up and look into a camera. A screen above the camera will notify passengers when they are clear to board.

The process would be completely automated, meaning JetBlue staff wouldn’t need to be involved at all. The company says staff would instead be able to deal with customer service and help individuals at the gate.

JetBlue’s plans to introduce facial recognition technology

“We hope to learn how we can further reduce friction points in the airport experience, with the boarding process being one of the hardest to solve,” said Joanna Geraghty, executive vice president of customer experience at JetBlue, in a press release. “Self-boarding eliminates boarding pass scanning and manual passport checks. Just look into the camera and you’re on your way.”

JetBlue is working with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and air transport technology provider SITA on the project. If successful, the system has the potential to reduce waiting times to board planes and improve security at the same time.

Airlines have made steady progress with their airport technology over recent years, with online check in, self-check in booths, and self-bag drop kiosks all making the airport process less painful. If the security procedures can be made more convenient at the same time as keeping us safe, then a trip to the airport will be a lot less hassle in the future.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.